Intimacy: A Two Way Street, Part 1
by W5Lex
Summary: When Steve reveals his feelings for Danny, the detective makes the decision to push him away. And its a decision that he immediately regrets. Steve/Danny slash.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Okay, so for those of you joining me after reading the last fic, I hope enjoy this one as much as the last. For those of you who **_**haven't **_**yet read **_**'Grace,' **_**no worries because it was a standalone. **

**Despite what I said at the end of that last fic, I'm actually uploading the first **_**three **_**chapters tonight because they're so short. For this new fic, I will be uploading a chapter **_**at least **_**every two days, possibly every day depending how we go.**

Steve curses under his breath as he realises he's in the exact position he's been hoping to avoid. It's at least a couple of months since he realised that he was in trouble, and since then he has tried his best to minimise his time alone with Danny. A car ride with a professional conversation, or a dinner over which they discuss work, Steve can just about handle, but it's when they're left like this that his feelings come flooding back.

Distancing himself, he moves to the opposite side of the room and shuffles a few meaningless papers into a painfully neat stack. Kono and Chin have just left for the night, leaving Steve very little incentive to behave himself, and making such preventative measures necessary to maintain some professionalism. He shoots a quick glance at his partner, relieved to see that his precaution has apparently gone unnoticed.

Steve can barely believe how his feelings have escalated, and what started as friendship, slowly moved towards a crush, finally evolving into full blown love.

Put simply, Danny is different.

The first time they'd met – in less than convenient circumstances – Steve had considered him an irritant, asking him to join the Five-0 out of nothing more than convenience and the opinion that Danny would be good at his job. But over the course of the change in emotions, Steve has come to accept these things that he previously thought of as annoyances, and now considers them quirks, and quirks he knows that he will never find in another human being, dead or alive. The slicked back hair, the insistence on formal attire, the sarcastic and confrontational attitude, and finally, the hand gestures. Without the hand gestures, Danny just wouldn't be Danny.

Up until the formation of the task force, Steve had wondered what else there was for him in life. His long period in the SEALs would eventually have to end, and without a single serious relationship to hold to his name, what would he do with his time. Yes, the Governor's offer could serve as a suitable distraction, and yes, he wasn't short of female company, but somehow it just wasn't enough. Until he met Danny.

Yes, Steve had had friends in the SEALs, and yes, they had been close, but never in his life had he met anyone quite so intriguing as Detective Danny Williams. Even the first meeting had been explosive, their relationship ultimately beginning with an armed standoff. Steve smiles fondly as he realises that, if it hadn't been for Danny's commitment to the job on that very day, then Steve would never have been forced into calling the Governor, and the Five-0 would never have even been formed.

In thanks, Steve has done everything in his power to keep Danny safe, extending the gratitude to use the Governor's lenience for Danny's benefit. Sure, they get shot at on a daily basis, blown up a couple of times a year, but that's not what Steve's talking about. The voucher for a hotel on the island, the life-saving interruptions, and the use of the Governor against Rachel have all been a result of Steve's affection.

The first day together had only gone from bad to worse as the insistent short Detective had summoned the front to punch his new boss in the face, walking away without even a shadow of guilt or regret. Steve has to suppress a laugh at the memorised image. Danny's surprise arrival in his life has been a breath of fresh air, and a welcome one at that. The honesty in their confrontation, and the long-winded rants from Danny's end are now cherished by Steve; arguments and all. The situation he finds himself in isn't helped by Danny's image. Yes; Steve still finds his insistence on a dress shirt and tie completely ridiculous, and yes; with a haircut like that, Danny really_ should_ be a born surfer. But for Steve, there is no mistaking the attraction; he thinks he's hot as hell.

And since then, everything has been a blur. Steve and Danny have fallen into a natural partnership after a rocky start, and though they can still irritate the hell out of each other on occasion, Steve honestly holds a torch for the man.

Yes, the fact that Steve is in love with another man alarms him. Yes, he's almost positive that Danny is straight (with an ex-wife and daughter to prove it). But no, Steve still can't bring himself to regret the emotions he feels.

He turns from the table to look back to Danny, and before his partner is able to turn and reignite the feelings, Steve strides towards the door. "See ya tomorrow, Danno." Danny mumbles something unintelligible in his direction, and with one glance back, Steve continues out towards the warm breeze.


	2. Chapter 2

Steve rubs a hand down his tired face, looking out to the monitor area with a groan as he realises he's done it again. For the second time in two days, he finds himself alone in the office, with none other than Detective Danny Williams. It's testament to their work ethic that the situation has arisen again, and only another convincing factor that a relationship between the pair would work out.

Pinching the bridge of his nose and lifting two gentle fingers to each of his temples, Steve sighs and pulls open the door, figuring it best to get out of here, ASAP.

As he enters, Danny instinctively turns, and Steve repeats the same action as the night before; standing at the raised table while he moves a few papers around, with the intention of leaving just a couple of minutes later. "Hey, McGarrett." Danny demands his attention, and as Steve turns to answer, he is confronted by the one thing he has been fearing for the last few weeks, and the one thing he knows with near-certainty that he will be unable to resist.

Danny's slight lack of personal space has got the better of him, and as Steve's eyes find his partner's, he is painfully aware of their proximity, their chests mere centimetres apart. The taller of the two opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out, the words lost in the moment. He splutters for a couple of unbearably awkward moments, before Danny breaks the silence.

"Steve," his voice is loud, a little angry. "You know, if you really insist on ignoring laws, on running red lights, on driving up the wrong sides of roads, the very least you could do is to complete the paperwork. I have been here all fuckin-"

Finally, Steve has heard enough, and he cuts Danny off with the only thing that he knows will interrupt his chain of thought. A kiss. Steve lowers his mouth to his partners, immediately regretting it as he feels Danny turn to stone underneath him. His body turns rigid, his muscles grow tense, and it takes no more than a couple of seconds for Danny to react. Furiously, he pushes hard on Steve's chest, forcing him into the wall behind, and opening his mouth to shout the man down.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Danny stops dead in his tracks as he realises he has absolutely no idea what to say next. He settles for, "Steve, I'm straight," and visibly fuming, he half-runs towards the exit. No sooner is he in the humid Hawaiian night than he regrets what he's just done.


	3. Chapter 3

The next week is unbearable.

Steve and Danny avoid each other for as much of the time as possible, with Steve switching up the grouping of their task force, and sticking strictly to professional conversation in the moments that they _do _find themselves alone.

For Steve, it's a week full of sadness. Sadness for completely ruining the closest friendship he's ever had, and sadness for taking the exact same thing away from his partner. And somewhere deep down, he's not only sad for the friendship he's lost, but also for the loss of any _hope _of a romantic relationship with the man he loves.

For Danny, the week is one full of regret. As the days pass, Danny gets to thinking, and it doesn't take long for him to realise that he may have made a mistake. His pride prevents him from bringing the subject up, but in the privacy of his own mind, he can't help but think that maybe he dismissed the idea of a relationship with Steve too fast.

As Danny carefully examines the experience of a friendship with Steve he realises that he already has most of the same things he had with Rachel, as well as a whole lot more. Though he's never really thought about it, Danny figures he's always held a certain…respect for his partner's appearance. And he trusts him. With his life. Most definitely more than he ever trusted Rachel. And what is it that they say about relationships – a successful romantic relationship starts first with a successful friendship.

Danny ponders that for a few moments, and as the realisation hits him straight in the face, the full implication of his impulsiveness catches up with him.

**A/N: Because I hate so much to see Danny sad, I have already decided that I will DEFINITELY upload a chapter tomorrow, so stay tuned and let me know what you think so far!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: First off; thank you for the great first responses. A LOT of you have added an alert for this fic, and it honestly spurs me to apply the final touches to the chapters in preparation to post. This chapter is a long one, and I hope this doesn't feel rushed…**

It's exactly one week since Steve's attempt at intimacy, and this time the Lieutenant Commander has to repress the urge to throw a chair through a window as he realises that he's done it again. For the third time in a little over a week, he and Danny are the only two left in the building. He takes a considerable amount of time to weigh his options.

He could hide behind the door, under the desk, or bolt straight towards the exit. Steve shakes his head at the juvenile ideas, admitting to himself that he really has reached an all time low. As he looks through the glass at a miserable looking Danny, the guilt hits him, and in a split second the ex-SEAL decides that he has already caused the man enough trouble.

As Steve pulls open the door to his office, Danny's head snaps up and he turns to start in the other direction, clearly just as uncomfortable with the state of affairs. Steve runs one step and plants a strong hand on Danny's shoulder, forcing him to turn to face him. Danny considers pushing Steve away, but something in his partner's eyes stop him, and he settles for shaking the hand off. The dim lights install yet another sense of romanticism in Steve, but there's no way he's going to risk their friendship further by trying anything inappropriate.

He swallows, feeling inexplicably nervous at the first proper face-to-face conversation that the pair have had in a week. Steve slowly lets the hand drop to his side as he rocks back onto his heels and takes a long breath. With Danny's face looking less angry than it has in recent days, Steve relaxes ever so slightly, and he moves his hands, propping himself on the table-slash-monitor with one arm.

He looks away from Danny's face for a moment, gathering the courage for an apology. "Look, Danno."

"Don't call me that." Despite the harsh words, Danny's face remains relatively expressionless, his features giving nothing away.

"Right, sorry. _Danny._" The apology is one of the first that Danny has ever witnessed leave Steve's lips. "I just…I wanted to apologise." There's a pause. "For last week," he adds, as if either of the men has any doubt over what it is that they're referring to. There's another awkward pause.

Danny reverts to his usual device when faced with such an uncomfortable situation; his hands. He shoves one into his pocket, moving the other to rub over the end-of-the-day stubble at his chin. When it becomes clear that Danny isn't going to break the silence, Steve tries again. "Look, Dann-"

In that moment, Danny cracks. The sincerity in Steve's eyes, the fight to save some ounce of their relationship, friendly or otherwise; it hits a nerve. And Danny breaks. With a natural amount of eagerness that assures the detective that this is what he wants, his pocketed hand slips out, and both move up to gently grab his boss by the collar of his shirt.

Unwilling to let his height interfere, Danny pulls the material in his hand, and when Steve makes no effort to resist, his face is drawn to within inches of his partner's. Danny finds himself looking into Steve's bright, confused eyes, and he hesitates for another moment. The delay isn't out of uncertainty, but a desperation to prolong the moment. His eyes dart around Steve's face, settling on his lips as the confusion in Steve's eyes disappears and Danny pushes himself up a little to close the remaining gap. The kiss he leaves there is short and light, but the contact sends an electric pulse flying throughout his body. If there was any doubt in Danny's mind a minute ago, then all trace of it has disappeared now.

Frozen in a concoction of shock and overwhelming relief, Steve doesn't move. After just a second, Danny raises a sharp hand, striking an open palm flat against his cheek. It brings his partner back to the moment, and slowly, Steve straightens out and clears his throat.

Danny carefully examines Steve's face for any sign that it is still what he wants, and finds nothing. It takes only a split second for the unease of the situation to return, and Danny is struggling for something to say.

"Sorry," he tries.

Steve's eyes widen, and he quickly shakes away the apology. "I thought…" He trails off, not sure exactly what he _had _thought. Danny looks away from the piercing eyes of his partner and gives an innocent shrug.

"What does this mean?" Now neither party has any idea whatsoever of what the other is thinking, and if they don't find out soon, they both know that the moment could easily descend into months of behaviour similar to this past week.

Danny shrugs again, looking a little more sure of himself this time around. "I don't know. But what I _do _know is that there's no going back. Neither of us will ever have another long-term relationship in our lives if we don't try…" He shifts uncomfortably, motioning between the two of them, "...this. Not to mention that the _slight _awkwardness may damage our professional relationship." Danny runs a hand through his hair, waiting patiently to see what Steve has to say because, for the life of him, he has no way of telling.

"Are you sure? I don't wanna do this just because you're worried about your job, or our friendship. I don't want to do this unless we're on the same page."

Danny stares blankly for a few seconds before he finally relieves the tension with a laugh. Steve glares at him for the duration, waiting for the laughter to subside. "What's so funny?" He can't help but be lightly amused by the appearance of the first real smile he's seen on Danny all week.

Danny finally calms down enough to get the words out. "Nothing, it's just…seriously? Is there anything your ego _will _stop at. Do you really think, that my worry over losing a friend or a job, or pretty much anything else I can think of, is enough to persuade me to start my first ever _gay _relationship, with my _male _best friend, at the tender age of 34?" The long-winded speech verges on one of Danny's rant, but there's something detectable in his tone.

Steve frowns at the logical explanation, then smiles back at his partner, glad so see that some normality has returned to their exchange despite the unusual topic of conversation. "No, on reflection probably not." The smile doesn't waver. "And you're absolutely sure that you want to do this? Because you were wrong you know, things _can _go back to the way they were." Despite this last week, Steve knows that if forced to suppress the feelings, they really can.

Danny nods as his eyes simultaneously squint suspiciously at the man in front of him. A new wave of calm washes over the pair. Despite the fact that they have both seemingly entered a new relationship – the same one – without so much of a real kiss, they would both much rather they let things happen naturally rather than force it. And though they're both still tense with anticipation, Steve leans backwards against the table, with Danny standing straight in front of him, slightly closer than usual. "Steve…Have you…done this before?"

Steve smirks; he's been wondering how long it would take Danny to ask the question – apparently not very long at all. He looks down, for the first time embarrassed, then back into the eyes of the man across from him. "Sex or a relationship?"

Danny answers quickly. "Relationship?"

"Never."

"Sex?"

Steve sighs. "Twice." Danny waits for more, curious as to how he hasn't noticed, but then, why should he have? "Once right before I left school. And then again...a couple of years later…"

Danny folds his arms across his chest. "Did you-" he mentally warns himself not to make any assumptions, and rephrases his question. "Do you love him?"

"No." There was absolutely no hesitation in the speed or the tone of the word.

The conversation somehow managing to ease Danny's nerves, he takes a miniscule step closer to Steve and shoves his hands back into his pockets. "So what makes you think this will be different?" Danny asks, his tone one of genuine curiosity, his words marking the return of the Danny Steve is so used to working alongside. "Because I _refuse _to be your sex toy McGarrett."

Steve stares at him for a moment, determined not to freak Danny out more than he already has. He settles for avoiding the words he wants to say for the time being. "It already is."

Danny's eyes open wide in surprise and he leans forward before returning to his prior position. He hasn't missed the implication of Steve's words. He makes a few random hand gestures before finally saying something. Steve just watches with a fond smile as his partner struggles for words. He puts his hands up in defence, and Steve crosses his arms over his chest. "Okay, okay. You're gonna have to give me at least a few hours to…acclimate before you start saying things like that. This is new to me, and I mean _completely _new, okay. So no weird stuff, no stupid games, alright? You gotta go slow. And I don't want anyone knowing about this thing, not yet." Even Danny can hear the answer in his own voice; he's quite simply saying yes.

At the words, Steve's face breaks into a broad smile. Forcing the expression away so that he can more easily do what he's been dying to do for months, Steve slowly unfolds his arms. He makes no move to change position, still leaning back against the monitor as he gently reaches an arm around Danny, letting it halt as it reaches his back. Still slowly, allowing time to monitor Danny's reaction, he rests the hand on the small of his back and his lips part subconsciously. The butterflies grow in intensity as he begins to close the gap and Danny – unwilling to think any more about this than he already has – can't bear the anticipation. In further confirmation that this is really what he wants, he takes the final step towards Steve, his partner's hand tightening around his back in an effort to pull him closer.

After one last second of hesitation – looking into those beautiful blue eyes of his – Steve ends the drawn out moment, ducking his head and pressing a soft kiss to Danny's lips. The shorter man stays still for a couple of seconds, waiting to see if he's about to freak out. When he doesn't, he responds. Danny lifts a hand to rest at the neck of his partner, and kisses back as he breaks in the new sensation. Steve exercises his restraint, doing everything in his power to keep the kiss slow and gentle; no pressure.

When Danny seems to relax into the kiss, Steve can't help but lengthen it, holding his body close for a few seconds longer. As Danny stands there, barely able to believe what he's actually doing, he brushes his fingers against Steve's jaw, sighing with the pure pleasure that the kiss brings and feeling like he could probably get used to this. The kiss remains soft and reserved, right up until they finally break apart.

There is another pause filled with nothing but silence, and Steve watches Danny's face with caution for a short time. Gradually and without looking up, Danny characteristically takes his bottom lip between his teeth. A moment later he releases it, licking his lips and finally looking up from below his lashes.

He lets out a laugh at the absurdity of the whole event, shaking his head as he takes a step away. As they walk towards the door, Steve is unable to resist slipping a strong arm around his partner. They walk up the stairs to the empty building in silence, both wearing stupid smiles until they reach the door. As though able to read Danny's mind – and sensing it may still be a _little _early for public displays of affection – Steve unwraps the arm and lets it fall to his side. When they arrive at the door, he takes a hold of Danny's arm to stop him leaving before he's ready for him to.

His voice is low and quiet as he meets Danny's inquisitive eyes. "Hey, it's Sunday tomorrow. How about we all take the day off for once. Will you come over?" On paper it's a forward request, and though that's not the way Steve means it, it seems like a safer option than going out to dinner in a public place. He raises his hands in surrender. "No weird stuff, promise."

Danny smiles as Steve takes a gentle hold of his hand. "Sure, I'll come round at…four?" Steve nods, leaning down to kiss him quickly on the cheek before opening the door to the building and watching him disappear into the night.

**A/N: So, what's everyone thinking? Our boys may finally have sorted things out. But don't worry, there's still a lot more to come :)**


	5. Chapter 5

When Danny arrives at Steve's place, four o'clock the following day, he's feeling anxious. The pesky nerves seem to really kick in when Steve isn't around, so he does his best to shake away the worries, and opens the door to the house by the beach.

"How many times to I have to tell you, if there is a door obstructing entrance to a property, you knock." The voice gradually gets louder as Steve rounds the corner and appears in front of his guest.

"Just be glad I'm not you. If that were the case, you'd be replacing the door every other day." Steve nods in acceptance of that fact and breaks into a smile as he walks forwards, placing a quick kiss to Danny's cheek before taking his hand and leading him through to the yard and beach. If he's honest, Danny is a little taken aback by the casual contact.

"The weather's nice, so I thought we could just hang out back." Danny nods and Steve takes a second to appraise what he's wearing; a pair of jeans and a white tee. A hell of a lot less formal than the crap he insists on wearing to work. He likes it.

As they reach the spot where grass meets sand, Steve stops and throws a rug over the ground. Satisfied, he hesitates barely a second before lying down and patting the spot next to him. Danny can't help but notice that a week ago, he would have refused point blank to spend a _relaxing _day in the sand by the beach; it's now that it hits him, maybe his emotions run deeper than he had initially thought. "Don't worry, we're far enough away from the sea that if it _does _reach us, you won't have to swim."

Danny stops in his tracks, folding his arms and waiting for Steve to get right back up again. "What makes you so damn sure that I can't swim?"

Steve pulls a completely unhelpful face – some kind of goofy smile - and Danny lets his hands fall to his sides in frustration. "Fine, you know what?" The hands are on the move again as he raises them above his head. Glaring at Steve, Danny surprises him. In one swift movement, he pulls the tee that covers his torso straight over his head, tossing it to the ground before kicking off the only pair of flip-flops he owns, and unbuttoning the jeans at his waist. He pulls them off, stripping to his Calvin Klein's, and leaving Steve totally stunned.

Danny makes a characteristic hand gesture, leaning back ever so slightly and holding his hands out, palms to the sky. "You coming or what?"

Steve laughs as he watches Danny make his way towards the ocean, muscles rippling underneath the skin of his back as he goes. He doesn't hesitate in following suit, stripping down and chasing him in; it's just as well people tend to steer clear of the section of beach directly outside Steve's house.

As claimed, Danny floats effortlessly in the water, swimming further and further until he reaches the point where the water just about reaches the top of his chest. "Happy now?" he asks, as Steve arrives at the same spot a couple of seconds later.

"Didn't doubt you for a second partner." Steve doesn't stand, instead choosing to allow himself to float at the same level as Danny. With a wicked smile, and spurred on by the fact that Danny still seems convinced in his decision, he leans ever closer until their lips touch. Despite having not initiated the contact, Danny maintains firm control of the kiss this time, and he tilts his head, deepening it and letting out a low groan. His hands explore Steve's body, running over his wet chest and shoulders until they move to entangle themselves in his dampened hair. Steve allows himself to do likewise, letting a hand rest again at the small of his new boyfriend's back, the other moving along his prominent jaw line, pausing at his neck.

With Steve's smouldering eyes piercing his soul, Danny relinquishes control of the kiss as Steve moves his lips, allowing them to claim the spot that, only a second ago, was occupied by his fingers. The detective throws his head back to expose more of his throat, and his hands play in his partner's hair until finally, their lips resume contact.

Having both already ducked their heads into the depths of the sea, the kiss is wet and fervent, and it's several minutes before either breaks away, panting lightly as they take advantage of the renewed supply of oxygen.

Half an hour of frolicking in the sea later, and Danny is reminded of just one of the reasons he usually stays away from the water. As he slowly makes his way back up to the blanket that lies on the grass, he frowns at the wrinkling of the skin on his hands, shaking them through the air in a vain attempt to speed up the drying process.

Steve doesn't return for another few minutes, joining Danny where he lies drying off with a smile. Still, neither wears anything but underwear, and the water drips off the both of them as the sun warms their skin. The pair of them together – wet and wearing next to nothing with hardened, attractive faces and each with a toned body to die for – look as though they've just finished filming an underwear campaign. And apparently it's hard work. "You hungry?" Steve asks.

Danny doesn't move an inch. "Mmhmm."

"I'll cook, just let me dry a little first."

That revelation inspires some energy. He opens his eyes quickly. "Please tell me you are joking?"

Steve puts a hand to his chest, feigning offence. "Hey, you know, if you'd give me a chance, my cooking's not so bad." Danny frowns, remaining unconvinced.

"If this all goes wrong, you're paying for the take out."

Steve shrugs and smiles, confident enough in his own abilities. "Okay, fine." The smile spreads, and he's glad that the new level to their relationship doesn't seem to have changed the tone of conversation or Danny's regard for his feelings.

"Fine."

Steve grabs his discarded t-shirt, using it to towel off the worst of the water as he heads towards the house. "It'll be ready in half an hour. I'll give you a call." Steve smiles as he enters the house, pleased with the relative domesticity that has somehow materialised out of nothing.

Danny lowers his head to the blanket again, closing his eyes and letting the warm Hawaiian air keep him from getting cold as the sun sets over the horizon.

**A/N: Hope you liked this chapter. On the review front, we're doing **_**okay,**_** but we could be doing a lot better. Hearing what you guys think only helps me to improve the writing and mould the fic to write what you guys want to read. I know from the legacy stats, that there are a lot of you reading and putting this on alert, so please let me know what you're thinking, even f it's only one word :) Reviews are love. (And so are updates, so on that note I'll upload another chapter tomorrow).**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: The next chapter as promised. First up, thank you to all who have reviewed and who continue to review. The response to chapter 5 was amazing, so continue to let me know what you all think. And on with the story…**

"Danno?" Steve calls through the open door.

At the sound of his voice, Danny jolts awake and he contemplates his surroundings. Just about dry from what he can only assume must have been half an hour of the Hawaiian breeze, he pulls his clothes back on, leaving the flip-flops at the door as he rounds the corner to see Steve laying two plates on the table.

Danny looks curiously at the plate of risotto in front of him as he sits down, turning a few forkfuls over as though to check it's all cooked. The meal is made up of Arborio rice with peas, chicken, bacon, and mushroom. And it actually looks pretty damn good.

Steve smiles as he joins him at the table, watching as Danny takes the first bite. His face changes expression at least five times – though all are gorgeous – before finally settling on a mildly impressed smile. "I could get used to this; nice house, nice boyfriend, nice cook." Danny smirks, and Steve can't stop the smile that surfaces as he hears Danny consider some kind of future with him. He knows it's only early days, and that things could change pretty damn quickly, but Steve can't help but get ahead of himself.

They eat in relative quiet for a few minutes before Steve breaks the inconsequential conversation. "Do you have Grace next weekend?" Danny nods, swallowing down another mouthful of the risotto.

Steve's face drops a little in the knowledge that he probably won't see much of Danny in that case; won't get to see Grace either. But Danny has been working too closely for too long with Steve McGarrett for the expression to go unnoticed, and he clears his throat awkwardly. "You know, I could bring her here for the weekend. I mean, if you don't mind."

Steve shakes his head, and he can see the precise nature of Danny's intentions in his eyes. "D, don't worry about it man. I can look after myself for a weekend."

Danny shrugs. "Grace would love to see you." He knows full well that he's playing dirty, but if it means the three of them can spend the weekend together, then he'll employ almost any tactics necessary.

Steve smiles. "Then sure, of course. Bring her over Friday night." Danny nods, and they finish the rest of the meal without event.

Steve stands at the counter, washing their plates when Danny initiates his first sign of affection. With nothing to do but wait for him to finish, the detective quietly walks up behind him, wrapping his arms around Steve's waist. It doesn't take long for Steve to get his priorities straight and he throws the dishcloth over his shoulder with a chuckle as his hungry lips meet Danny's.

The kiss is their most passionate yet, and with every touch each man lays on the other, they feel a burst of pleasure more intense than the last. It isn't until they both have a hand up the other's shirt that Steve finally musters enough self-control to pull away. "Slow. Remember?"

Danny grins, obediently removing his hand from Steve's back. As he realises what they're gradually edging closer to, Danny feels a small surge of panic, a small surge which Steve immediately picks up on. Though he knows what will come at some point in the near future, Danny's heart rate quickens as he's reminded of it, and the prospect becomes very real. Sure, the stuff so far has been great, but all they're done is kiss. And though Danny enjoys the feel of Steve at every single touch, there's no telling what his first foray into the world of gay sex will hold.

As Danny looks to the floor, Steve raises a closed fist, lightly bumping it to the bottom of his chin, forcing him to make eye contact. "You gonna tell me what's wrong?"

Danny almost shrugs, but thinks better of it. "Nothing's _wrong_. This afternoon has been great…"

"_But…_"

Danny sighs with resignation. He wracks his brain for the least embarrassing way to communicate what he wants to say, but when he doesn't find one, he lets out a sigh and forces the words out quickly. "It's nothing really. It's just, I told you, I've never done this before." He looks down ashamedly, feeling his skin flush as Steve lets out a tiny laugh. It's not a laugh _at _him, more of a laugh in anticipation of Danny's; and inevitably, his comes a fraction of a second later. "Jesus Christ; I feel like a fucking virgin all over again."

Steve repeats the action that forces them to look at each other, and now free of any trace of embarrassment, his eyes are filled with concern. "Danny, I already told you. Not until you're ready, and you'll know when you are. Try not to worry about it; it's me." He presses a short kiss to his partner's lips, and pulls him into his embrace.

Danny leaves the house later that night, and the following day passes in a blur. He and Steve are over-compensating just a little as they try their best to remain professional at work. The fact that they have never been _truly _professional only makes it harder. The whole of their working relationship has consisted of occasional bouts of flirting; that's just the way it is. And it's because of this that they now struggle to strike the balance; strike the _perfect_ balance that will avoid giving anything away to the rest of the team, at least until they're ready. Somehow – and Steve and Danny both think it's nothing short of miraculous – their efforts seem to work, the new relationship still undetected.

The following day, with Five-0 working late to close a case and finish up paperwork, there is little time at the end of the day for Danny and Steve to spend any time alone. As they finally leave the office after nine o'clock, they are forced to settle for a brief kiss before heading home alone. "A long day today is the perfect excuse for a short one tomorrow," Steve winks as they part ways.

**A/N: I've got to admit, I like this chapter. What are you guys thinking…? Let me know :) **


	7. Chapter 7

As Danny enters the Five-0 HQ, he throws a customary glance towards Steve's office, smiling as he catches a glimpse of the man at work. The day is a surprisingly easy one and unusually, it passes without serious incident. No shootings, no assaults, no hand-to-hand combat, not even a bomb. Just paperwork and surveillance.

Steve, feeling the frustration of the lack of time he's had alone with Danny today – as well as the restless mood caused by the quiet lull - breaks the hush of the room at six o'clock; for a normal group of people, the day is drawing to a close anyway, but for the Governor's task force it's still _relatively _early. "Finish up guys, we're packing up early tonight." He glances at Danny, noticing the smile he's fighting to keep hidden. "Oh, and Chin, Kono, I've already spoken to Danny, but we haven't had a full weekend off in weeks. Barring any major incident, we're taking a half day on Friday."

Chin's eyes widen and he and Kono rush out of the room, making sure not to give Dictator McGarrett a chance to track back on that order. Soon, he and Danny are left alone. Steve smiles, "That was easier than expected." He pushes himself out of the wheelie chair he's seated on and walks over to Danny. As he affectionately pushes him towards the door he grabs the keys to the Camaro, and a short while later, they're back at his place.

Danny's rant continues as they step out of the car. "You know, it's my car. Would it really hurt you to let me drive it every once in a while? Really, it's the least you could do after hiring me into a job that seems to be miss-"

Danny turns towards the house only to be assaulted by Steve's lips, interrupting him mid-sentence. Danny knows that the wise thing would be to pull away; they've already decided to keep this thing to themselves for a while after all. But he can't bring himself to do it. The proximity, the sensation of Steve's face as they move together, and the musky scent that's all too familiar; the combination intoxicates him. Unbeknown to Danny, Steve is thinking the exact same thing. But he can't help it. The ranting is inexplicably attractive, and the hand gestures and eye rolls provide interruption enough for a liplock.

Finally managing to pull himself together, Danny clears his throat and straightens up as they both smooth down their shirts, glancing at the surroundings before finally continuing to their intended destination.

Feeling that they've ended a little abruptly, Danny enters the room first before turning on his heel and pushing Steve's back to the barely closed door. The hinges snap shut as Steve smiles and relaxes against the wood, and Danny pulls his partner's face to him in yet another passionate kiss. It's a few minutes before Danny pulls away, enough that their foreheads rest together as they listen to the loud breathing that pierces the quiet.

Steve swallows once, finally dropping the hand that sits at Danny's waist. "We should, umm…order a pizza or something."

Danny nods against him, and he pushes himself away, swiftly sinking into the sofa as Steve pulls his cell phone from a pocket. Steve-the-neat-freak-McGarrett busies himself with tidying the house until the pizza arrives and he joins Danny on the sofa.

Danny's eyes widen in disbelief as their meal is revealed. "Where's the ham…and pineapple?" It shouldn't really provoke such a reaction; Danny looks as though he's just been exposed to a severed limb. In reality, it's just a pepperoni pizza.

Steve shrugs as he grabs a slice. "Fancied a change." He smirks as he takes the first bite; he knows he won't get away with it _that _easily. Danny ignores the pizza for a moment, turning to face him.

"Why?" His eyes narrow in suspicion. "Not once in the entire time I've known you have we shared a _pepperoni _pizza." As if his animated tone isn't enough, Danny throws in a few hand gestures for good measure. It's true though, and they've discussed – argued about - it before. Steve likes a Hawaiian; Danny likes pepperoni. But what Danny likes doesn't _usually_ matter, Steve's too quick to order for Danny's opinion to even be considered; one of the many inconveniences of being friends with a control freak. So reluctantly, Danny inevitably resorts to picking the unwanted toppings off. He's grown so used to it that he's given up the fight.

Steve shrugs again, turning and giving him a wider smile. "What? So now I can't even do anything nice for you? What kind of a relationship_ is _this?"

Danny almost laughs; he has no idea. But despite the apparent insignificance of such a gesture, to Danny, it seems to carry a lot of weight. Satisfied that Steve at least seems to be telling the truth, he grabs a slice.

**A/N: Thank you all for reading. Reviews make my day, so go ahead and press the little button!**

**See you tomorrow for the next chapter :)**


	8. Chapter 8

With the empty pizza box cast aside, Danny sits, thinking to himself as the soft music plays in the background. The atmosphere of the evening has grown serene and romantic, and the feeling is getting to Danny.

He reflects back to the moment they had both embarked on this crazy,_ crazy _relationship. At first mention of 'love' in the conversation, Danny had been a little alarmed. Without saying the words, Steve had implied his feelings well enough, and though still a little freaked out by this thing between them, Danny is coming to the realisation that maybe this whole deal isn't so crazy after all.

He ponders previous relationships, and realises that the only thing that even comes close to what he already has with Steve, is Rachel…and he married her. Even that - the most important romantic relationship of his life thus far - doesn't _really_ measure up to this. It's been only a few days, and already Danny thinks that maybe he's not as far behind Steve as he'd thought when it comes to voicing their feelings. Maybe, just maybe, he really _has_ fallen in love with the crazy ex-Seal; because as insane and reckless as the man may be, he's revealing more and more of himself to Danny every single day.

And sure, Danny was in love with Rachel – he would never have married her if he wasn't – but what he and Steve have together is something different. Rachel had resented Danny's job; Steve respects and understands it. Rachel had constantly encouraged Danny to tell her what he was thinking; Steve gives him space, allowing the detective to mull things over until he's ready to come to him. And he and Rachel's _sexual _relationship had been based largely on selfishness; whilst Danny and Steve haven't technically reached that point yet, already there is the sense that they want to do things for each other…_intense _love is a game of give and take.

Steve lets his head roll onto the back of the couch and with a fond smile, Danny shifts a little closer. With the movement, Steve lifts his head again, still relaxed in his seat. When neither makes any effort to move further, Steve and Danny end up staring into each other's eyes. There's a silent moment between them; their breathing is quiet, the sea can't be heard, and the music takes a pause as it moves onto the next track.

Danny blinks slowly, and as the music starts up again, he rearranges himself, pushing towards Steve as the moment evolves. Steve anticipates the action, and his hands remain still as the blond moves towards him. When their lips finally meet, the exchange is a mixture of past experiences; up until now, they've shared kisses that fall into one of two categories; the first being fiery and passionate, the second slow and gentle. This one is both.

As their lips mould around each other, there is a slight sense of urgency that they haven't yet come across together, and the kiss somehow seems to convey both the lust _and_ the love contained in this new relationship. Steve can't help the way that his hand instinctively makes its way to Danny's back again, and he smiles underneath him as the shorter man pushes himself onto his knees, for once his head towering over Steve's. And it's not until now that Steve begins to realise where this is going.

Danny's hands tremble ever so slightly as they lift Steve's shirt just enough that he's able to run his fingers over the rough skin, and Steve makes the decision to question this before they're both too far gone to think clearly. "What happened…to taking…it…slow?" he says breathlessly inbetween kisses.

Danny slows his movements, and Steve looks up through his lashes as their foreheads lean against one another. They make eye contact, and Danny shrugs with a smirk. "Patience is overrated."

Steve leans up to kiss him again, and for the first time, he finds himself genuinely nervous about what will follow. Sure, he's done it before; and granted, he knows things will somehow manage to turn out fine. But though _he _holds the position of the more experienced of the two men, they both seem to have forgotten he's only _experienced_ it twice. "Are you sure about this?"

Danny's breathing is heavy, but he nods. "I love you." The sentence is simple and conclusive, and Steve smiles as the words leave Danny's mouth for the first time. The detective bites his lip, his nerves resurfacing and as he pauses to take in the moment, his breathing hitches. Danny inhales through his nose, eyes crinkling as one of those earth-shattering smiles surfaces due to nothing else other than his partner's smell; his partner's musky, masculine and oh-so-Steve-McGarrett smell.

"Love you too, Danno." He knows as much, but hearing the words spoken so unmistakably sends a thrill throughout his body. Steve pushes Danny off of him and allows himself to follow. "Upstairs."

Danny holds onto Steve's hand, pulling him off of the couch behind him, and leading him up the stairs of his own house, stopping only when they finally reach the bedroom.

Danny's eyes scan the room awkwardly for a moment before the taller man steps up behind him, and of all the times for the thought to dawn on him, Danny suddenly realises he's never seen this area of the house before. With no lights turned on, the room is lit only by the soft glow of the sunset that shines in from the window, and the blue bed is made neatly in the centre of the room.

Steve – now working to calm his own nerves almost as much as Danny's – presses his lips to the back of Danny's neck, continuing in the advance until Danny finally turns to him, granting access to his mouth. Gently, he pushes his partner all the way back until his legs are stopped in their tracks by the hard edge of the bed. Their lips refuse to lose contact as Danny brings his slightly shaking hands to Steve's chest, slowly pushing the button down shirt back over his shoulders and down his arms. With the first article discarded on the floor, it's Steve's turn. His dextrous hands quickly remove Danny's tie and dress shirt, and their lips lose each other for a second or two as the shorter man pulls Steve's tee over his head. And then they both stand topless in the quiet room, hands mapping out each other's bodies, exploring the new territory with haste and desire.

The two men are of different builds, and whilst Steve is tall and athletic, and Danny is shorter and well-built, there's not an ounce of fat on either of them. Both of the men carry out physically demanding work on a regular basis, and with the extra runs they've begun to take together of late, they both have bodies to be envied.

Their lips break contact again, this time for at least ten seconds as they both slip out of their pants, and Steve forces Danny down onto the bed, his back to the mattress as Steve's lips continue to roam his body at their own pace. They both shuffle back, turning themselves right way up on the bed, and moving uncomfortably as they both wriggle out of their boxers before initiating another kiss.

It's the first time they've seen each other totally naked, but neither takes the time to stare as their hungry lips meet again. Danny repositions himself to hover above Steve, elbows planted either side of his head. They continue as they are for a few more minutes, and as the moment they're building to grows gradually nearer, they each let out a soft moan, smiling ever so slightly at the satisfaction they're able to tease out of the other.

As the minutes pass, Danny recognises that maybe this won't be quite as strange as he has feared. Nervous though he may be, even now – free of clothes - he feels entirely comfortable in his partner's company. And Steve, although still slightly unnerved by the amount of stock the couple have put in his experience, feels the same.

The anticipation beginning to grow unbearable, Steve pulls away for a few seconds, and there's a moment similar to the one they both experienced ten minutes ago. The light is dim, the atmosphere is silent, and piercing the quiet, Steve catches his breath. Leaning up for another kiss, he gives a menacing grin and rolls onto the bed to flip their positions…

**A/N: As always, thank you for the kind words. I have a fairly busy day tomorrow, and so whether I update will depend on my motivation, i.e. how many of you review. Hope everyone is still enjoying this fic – Love it? Hate it? Let me know… :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hahahaha…some of those review responses to my 'threat' made me giggle. Let me just be clear, I WILL NOT STOP UPDATING this fic. Yes; reviews make my day, but unless there is literally not a single person reading, I will keep updating. All I meant was that the rest of this fic is already written, so reviews are what spur me on to edit and post them. Therefore: more reviews = faster updates and better writing, as well as changes to the story if enough of you mention something specific that you would like to happen. So there. Now here is the next chapter…**

By the time Steve and Danny are both appropriately exhausted, the sun is all but gone, and the quiet is filled by their ragged breathing. They lie next to each other, both heads turned to the ceiling as they allow their breathing to return to normal. Danny moves the arm furthest from Steve, letting it rest atop his forehead in a sign of fatigue.

"That…was…amazing," Danny gasps. The hand drops back to the bed with a ruffle of the sheets, and Steve turns to face his lover with a broad smile.

He reaches over to swipe away the bead of sweat that sits on Danny's temple, choosing to let the stray hand rest on Danny's chest rather than return it to beside his own. His hands moves up and down with the blond's breathing, and there is an unfamiliar sense of harmony that fills the room.

Steve and Danny lie wordlessly for several more minutes until their heartbeats have calmed, just about falling into a regular rhythm. In a similar movement to Steve's, Danny turns onto his side, leaving them facing each other and gazing into each other's love-filled eyes.

Danny shuffles his head an inch closer, and they rest on the pillows, their noses brushing against each other as they relax side by side.

In the most gentle movement all day, Steve lifts his head a little off of the pillow, tilting it slightly to kiss his partner before they both let their heavy lids shut. "Sleep, Danno."

Steve wakes first, the strict regime endured during his time in the Navy having made its mark. He squints his eyes against the light that pours through the window, and checks the clock at the side of the bed; still only 7:15. Steve and Danny are always the first to arrive at the office, and so he figures they have a good half hour before they should be leaving for work; he'll have to postpone his run until later in the day.

Slowly, careful not to wake Danny for another few minutes, he turns to face the man sleeping at his side, smiling softly at his calm face, lit up by the morning sun. He remains unmoving for a short while, purposefully taking a breath with every one of Danny's and propping himself up onto one elbow. That surreal moment hits him, and he's pretty sure he's never awoken to a sight more beautiful, so he reaches out a hand, resting it on Danny's bare chest in an action that he knows will wake him, just to make sure he isn't still dreaming. "Hey – Danny, you gotta wake up." He shakes the hand gently, pulling him out of his slumber.

Danny's face scrunches in protest of the light, and he stretches his arms out in front of him, flexing the muscles as he works out the ache. Having said that, as he remembers the previous night, Danny is pretty sure he hasn't been more relaxed – at least mentally - in the past few weeks. He sighs and grabs a pillow from behind him, holding it over his face as he lets out a loud groan. Steve reaches out his hand and moves it from his chest up to one of Danny's arms, smiling ever so slightly at the sensation of his hand on the hard muscle of his bicep.

"Not a morning person then?" he asks, his smile growing in amusement. Danny grunts in displeasure, and Steve lets out a low laugh. "Well hey, maybe I can change that."

He reaches over to plant a hand the other side of the man he's spent the night with, and he pushes away the pillow as he leans down to kiss him. Steve can feel the relaxation of Danny's face underneath him as the exchange overshadows the irritation from the awakening, and the lines in his face smooth out. The kiss is less urgent than last night - a sign that each of the men is savouring the moment before they need to get up - and with almost all of his nerves about the impending relationship washed away by their night together, Steve is eventually forced to pull away from Danny's smiling mouth.

Steve mirrors the expression, he can't help it. "Hey, what's so funny?"

Danny just shakes his head. "Nothing, nothing. We should get dressed."

Steve nods and releases his hold as Danny throws himself out of the bed and searches for his hastily discarded clothes. Unable to find the tie that was removed in the passion of last night, he settles for leaving the shirt open at the collar and runs his fingers through his hair a few times in an effort to make himself look presentable.

The detective wastes no time in heading down the stairs – making himself right at home, but then that's no different than usual - and rummaging through the fridge, and Steve follows him down a couple of minutes later, holding a black tee in one hand, a navy blue shirt in the other. "There's cereal beside the fridge," he points out as Danny turns to him, his face refusing to betray the surprise – good, of course – of finding his partner still shirtless and walking towards him. Taking a slightly longer look than is strictly necessary, he turns back to the fridge and Steve pulls the tee over his head before slipping his arms through the sleeves of the shirt and rolling them up to above his elbows.

For both of them, there is something dreamlike about the morning; something new and exciting about waking up with the man you love. But, senses don't lie, and whilst Steve is sure that Danny has never looked so good in a fantasy; Danny knows that never could he dream up that glint in Steve's eye, that combination of a smirk and a grin that tells him he's thinking about doing something he probably shouldn't, but he's going to do it anyway.

Danny is a little late in the snarky comment he offers in response, but it comes only a few seconds later. "What happened to _napalm in the morning?_"

**A/N: Busy again tomorrow, so whether I update then or the following day (rest assured; there WILL BE AN UPDATE) will depend on reviews. Love you all…**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: For this chapter, everyone needs to thank McShep01. She gave me the prompt to write in this chapter, and put simply, if she hadn't it wouldn't be here. Initially I was going to put it in a bit later, but I've decided here is probably the best place for it. Also, now that I've written it, I think this is one of my favourite chaps, so thank you McShep01! Btw, because this is a late addition, it probably doesn't flow quite as easily with the other chapters…**

"See ya later, boss," Kono calls as she and Chin depart the building. Steve waves a hand in response, the rest of his attention currently being held by Danny. The man has been in his office for at least fifteen minutes, continuing his lecture regardless of what anyone else is doing, and ignoring the fact that they're wasting time by doing it. It's just gone eight o'clock, and they really should be heading home now.

Steve sits in his wheelie chair, and Danny has his hands on the other side of the table, leaning over as he half-shouts his problem for the world to hear. Fourteen minutes ago, Steve had thought this was funny, but by this point the novelty is beginning to wear thin. It's Danny's first proper rant since he and Steve have started dating, and it's not until now that Steve realises – with these things happening once a week at the least – this could cause them some problems.

"What the hell is wrong with you man? You're the boss of this place, _you're _the one supposed to be yelling at _me_! Look, it's really not that hard." Danny picks up a pen from the table and jams it into Steve's right hand. "You take the pen, and then you press it onto a piece of paper. Read the questions; you can read right?" Steve thinks it's a rhetorical question, but apparently it's not, so he nods. "Good, you read the questions, and then put a tick in the right box. Got it?" Steve nods; he'll go along with anything right now if it will get Danny to shut the hell up.

Danny backs up a little bit, and Steve pushes himself out of the chair, grabbing his stuff and heading for the car. Apparently, Danny's not done. "And also, you _cannot _go running into buildings, discharging bullets at the rate you do. You do realise that-" Having had enough, Steve makes a purposeful move in the opposite direction, veering towards _his _car sooner than is strictly necessary. Usually, the effort required to take two cars to work when both he and Danny would rather ride together seems like a waste of time, but for the first time this week, Steve is glad he'll get a few minutes to himself. Because yes, Steve absolutely _loves_ the man, but right now, he really doesn't _like_ him.

Danny glares in Steve's direction before continuing to the Camaro. He knows he's pissing Steve off, but when is the idiot going to get it through his thick skull that paperwork is a necessity?

As usual, Steve's manic driving gets him back to his place first, and for a few seconds he wonders whether Danny will even turn up tonight. He's spent all but one of the evenings here since that very first day, but that's not to say he'll turn up tonight. In all honesty, Steve isn't sure whether he wants him to come. The day full of arguments is getting to him, and as he gets out of the car he rubs small circles into the sides of his temples.

Quickly, he lets himself in, and no sooner has he opened the back door than the rain has started. And rain in Hawaii isn't like the rain in the rest of the country. No; the water doesn't come in drizzles and it doesn't always start slow. And today, with absolutely no warning whatsoever, the heavens open, and the rain begins to fall…hard.

Steve looks out from the deck for a minute, before deciding that he could probably do with some quiet, especially if Danny is following him home. So without a second thought, he chucks his cell phone towards the couch, and steps out into the heavy rain, ignoring the sensation as the water seeps through to his skin. Immediately, all sounds but those made by the rain disappear, and Steve smiles at the quiet rhythm. He walks out towards the ocean, stopping when he reaches the highest point of the sand, and gazing out to the sea. He closes his eyes, tilts his face up to the rain ever so slightly, and shoves his hands into his pockets as he stands there alone.

_**H50-H50-H50-H50**_

Danny groans as the rain begins and he pulls into the McGarrett home. Just one of the few things he hates about Hawaii; the abrupt arrival of rain. He considers waiting it out in the car, but the last time he tried that he waited for twenty minutes only for the rain to stop a couple of minutes after enduring it.

So he puts on a brave face, and tries to shield himself with his arms as he gets out quickly and runs towards the house. He knows Steve is pissed off with him, and so he's not entirely surprised when he doesn't answer his call. What _is _strange is that having searched every room of the house, there's still no sign – despite the front door having been unlocked. And it's not until Danny reaches the bedroom, looking out over the shore, that he finally sees the dark silhouette.

In the dim light of the evening, he can only just make out the standing form of none other that Steve McGiant. Letting out a loud sigh in the knowledge that he really should go out there and make sure he's alright, Danny quickly pulls off the tie around his neck, tossing it on the bed before kicking off his shoes and socks. He's pretty sure the man doesn't own an umbrella.

He heads downstairs, and with one last groan, he calmly strolls out into the downpour. The _only _good thing about the Hawaiian rain is that it's not freezing. As much as Danny hates sand, the cool substance feels nice as he walks over towards Steve.

_**H50-H50-H50-H50**_

Steve can hear someone approaching behind him, and he guesses it must be Danny. He keeps his eyes closed to prolong the moment for as long as possible before Danny re-launches his attack; only Danny's words never come.

A full minute later, Steve opens _one _eye, and looks to his left only to see Danny, hair and clothes soaked through, just standing next to him. He too has his hands in his pockets, and Steve lets his own fall to his side as he opens the other eye and looks at him properly. His tie no longer around his neck, Danny's shirt is unbuttoned until almost the middle of his chest, the material sticking to him, and his pants glisten with saturation. Danny though doesn't seem to mind; his face is calm, his breathing normal. He turns to him, his mouth curving ever so slightly into a tiny smile.

Steve frowns, raising his voice a little to make sure Danny can hear him over the rain; though the water is just beginning to soften slightly. "What? That's it? What happened to the paperwork and ballistics rant?"

Danny shrugs, hands uncharacteristically still in his pockets. "Not here. I'll save it for work tomorrow." And that's the conclusion Danny has come to. Because he and Steve arguing is an inevitability, but why let an otherwise great partnership _and _relationship be destroyed by that. So, Danny does what he knows will work best, and resolves to keep the arguments away from the house. Steve approves, and his smirk says it all. _Look at us, all domesticated and adult after only a few days._

Danny begins to mirror his expression, and his face evolving into a perfect, gorgeous smile, and his headache eased by the water against his skin, Steve takes a step to plant himself in front of the shorter man, looming over him as he leans down to kiss him.

**A/N: So what does everyone think? Love it? Hate it? I have to admit, writing this chapter was a little tricky because it's one of those things that I think most of us will already have thought about, and we have an opinion of how Steve and Danny would deal with arguments and a relationship. And alas, we are nearing the end of this fic…**


	11. Chapter 11

The next couple of days are, again, a bit of a blur.

They continue to be peppered with arguments between the pair, and whilst Steve proves himself to be ever so slightly more talented at compartmentalisation, their arrangement works well. But the days also continue to be ones of stolen kisses – a lot of which seem to conveniently interrupt one of Danny's speeches – and lustful looks. As the interruptive kisses continue in private, it grows harder to maintain secrecy. With Danny and Steve inexplicably bursting into fits of hysterical laughter each time the detective launches into a rant, explaining their strange behaviour is beginning to grow difficult.

"I want to tell Grace," Danny declares. It's Friday afternoon and Danny and Steve walk towards their cars side by side, making every effort to avoid doing what comes naturally and taking each other's hand.

They both stay quiet for another few seconds, pausing as they reach the Camaro. Steve nods, cool and collected as always, his face refusing to betray what he thinks of that suggestion. "What about the team? Chin and Kono?" The blond bites down on his lower lip, fiddling with his hands in classic Danny anxiety. Steve sighs and puts the man out of his misery. "Hey, I already told you, I can wait. Sure, I'd like to have it all out in the open soon, but as long as I've got you, I can deal." Danny nods; frankly impressed by the sensitive side to Steve that has revealed itself this week. "You sure you want to tell Grace?"

Danny nods for the second time, squinting as the sun hits his face. "I hate keeping things from her. And besides, she'll keep it to herself, if I ask her to." Steve nods back, he hasn't seen Grace since the new turn to their relationship began, but he already loves her. Much to Danny's former annoyance, the young girl had taken an instant liking to the dangerous ninja lunatic, and Steve seems just as fond.

Danny's just about to say something when Steve answers the unasked question. "You want me to keep out of the way for a while?"

Danny nods his head in the affirmative. "I want to tell her. Don't stray too far though, we all know what happens when you're left to your own devices." Steve nods, both grinning at each other as he begins to reach for Danny's hand, pulling back reluctantly as he catches himself in the act. With everything they need to say conveyed in a single look, Danny opens to door to his car and slides in, and Steve walks around to his own, already eager to see his partner's face again.

**H**

**5**

**0**

Danny laughs as Grace runs towards him, arms outstretched. "Hey, Monkey." She hurdles into him full pelt, wrapping her arms tightly around her father as he lifts a hand to stroke her hair.

Finally, pulling away and opening the backdoor of the Camaro, Danny takes Grace's backpack and flings it onto the passenger seat before sliding behind the wheel. "Hey, guess what, Gracie? We're gonna go stay with Uncle Steve for the weekend. That sound good?" They've done this once or twice before, mostly if Danny ends up too drunk to drive them home.

He glances in the mirror to see Grace's eyes light up as she gives an enthusiastic nod. "Is he at home now?" Grace knows that the boys often work late, and usually it's only Danny that gets the afternoon off to pick her up.

"Yeah baby, but I need to talk to you alone for a bit first, okay?" Grace gives another nod, her eyes slightly concerned this time at the nerves in her father's voice. "Don't worry, it's nothing bad. I promise." She seems to believe him, and she settles into the short drive with stories from school.

**H**

**5**

**0**

"Okay. Go ahead and sit on the sofa. I'm gonna grab us a drink and I'll be back in a minute." When Danny enters the kitchen, Steve stands idly reading today's newspaper, propped up against the counter and looking more like a Greek god than anyone has the right to.

He looks up "Just call if you need anything, D." Danny nods and quickly pours a couple of drinks.

He hands Grace a glass of apple juice as he returns, and sets his own down on the coffee table as he lowers himself next to her. Grace turns, her eyes inquisitive and expectant, and Danny isn't quite sure what to say next.

"Okay, Grace. Here's the thing," he swallows, "you know your mother and I…well, you know that when we got married, it was because we were in love." Grace nods, trying desperately to figure out what's coming next because whatever it is, its making her father uneasy.

"Okay. And you know I love _you_." Grace nods again, and Danny smiles. "But you know that the way I love you, and the way I love your mother, it's not the same kind of love." Danny's hands are circling each other and refusing to sit still, but Grace nods; she knows exactly what he means.

"You mean how you love me, but you used to _love _Mom." Danny smiles at the simplistic explanation; how much she can convey with a change of tone. Grace still has no idea where this is going though.

"Right." Now this is where it gets complicated. He's glad Grace has offered her own way of explanation. "Well, the thing is honey…" He stalls. "The thing is…" He wants this awkward conversation over with. "The thing is, I _love _Steve."

Grace blinks a couple of times, and Danny waits impatiently to see how she'll react. "You mean _Uncle _Steve?" Danny winces at the incestuous sound to that, but he nods. There are another couple of seconds of silence as Grace tries to process what her father has just said. "But Steve is…a man."

Danny smiles, relieved that although surprised, his daughter seems unphased by the revelation. "Yeah I know honey. But sometimes you can't help who you fall in love with." Grace nods, and she's quiet for a few more seconds.

"Okay." Grace smiles.

"Okay?"

She nods and hugs herself to his side. "You love him Danno." Danny laughs. If only the whole world could take a similar attitude. "Does that mean that Steve is now Step-Steve?"

Danny shrugs, it's better than _Uncle_. "Yeah sure, if you like." He hugs her to him for a moment. "There's one more thing, Monkey. I need you to keep this a secret."

"That you love Steve?" She pulls away and Danny nods at her. "Why?"

He holds onto her hand in both of his. "Me and Steve have…we've only just…" he struggles for words.

"Fallen in love?" Grace offers.

"Right." _Or at least we've only just acted on it._ "And you're the only person we've told. So we need you to keep it a secret for a little while."

Grace nods and draws her fingers over her lips as she 'seals' them. "Thanks Gracie, Danno loves you." He presses a kiss to Grace's head and holds onto the moment. He just hopes that everyone else takes it as well as his daughter. Finally, Steve pokes his head around the door of the kitchen, watching the embrace with a smile. He opens the door a crack further, and Grace turns to the source as a creak gives him away.

"Step-Steve!" Grace exclaims as she pushes herself off the couch and crosses the room, arms wide open. Steve's smile grows, and he scoops the girl into his arms without hesitation. Steve throws a questioning look at Danny with regard to his new name, but the blond just shrugs and gives an affectionate eye roll. Grace hugs close for a while before encircling her arms around Steve's neck and straightening her back to level her eyes with his. "Do you love Danno?"

Steve gives an innocent nod, and suddenly with Grace there, it seems like the simplest thing in the world. Danny tucks one leg behind him and turns on the sofa to watch them, and when Grace finally spins back to him, still in Steve's arms, he remembers something he's forgotten to say. "Grace, you know I said that at the moment you're the only person who knows?" Grace nods. "Well, baby, when more people know, some of your friends at school might talk about it." He knows just how cruel kids can be. "I want you to promise me that if anyone ever gives you any trouble, you'll tell me, yeah?"

Grace nods again, and when Danny looks dissatisfied, she says the words. "I _promise_. That won't happen though."

Danny frowns, he's almost certain that it will, if not now, then later. "Why?"

Grace shrugs. "Most people at school know about Steve. They say he's crazy." Danny shrugs back; not too far from the truth. Steve wears an ear-to-ear grin; he shouldn't be nearly this pleased with hearing that.

"Hey Grace, you're killing me," the ex-SEAL complains teasingly.

Grace smiles and returns her attention to her father's boyfriend. "Don't be silly, _I _know you're not crazy," she says, pressing a kiss to the man's cheek.

**H**

**5**

**0**

By the time Grace is in bed, it's late. The clock reads almost nine o'clock when Danny reappears from upstairs, and he starts towards the kitchen before he feels the strong force pulling him in the other direction. Steve pulls hard on the tie that still hangs around Danny's neck, and the shorter man leans down obligingly for a kiss.

"Ahh," Steve remarks, "So that's what it's for."

**A/N: I'm so so so so sorry that I didn't have time to update yesterday, but whilst I gave the bad news yesterday that this story is almost over, today I give the good news that I've already written the sequel. It's written and complete, and I'm currently working on the sequel to **_**that **_**one. So ultimately there will be three parts to this fic, and I'm going to give the 'trilogy' a title to make them easier to keep track of; from now on, each will have its own title, and the collection will be called, "A Two Way Street." As for **_**this **_**instalment, we only have one chapter to go…**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: This chapter may seem random and/or rushed, but it had to happen, so here it is…**

_**2 Months Later…**_

Danny isn't entirely sure why this terrifying day is such a surprise to him. If he'd thought about it, he knows that something like this was bound to happen at some point. And now it has. Two months they've been together, and Steve has managed to get himself kidnapped. Granted, for once it's probably through no fault of his own, but Danny's going to blame him anyway, at least for now. His partner – in more way than one – has been missing for almost seven hours now, and it isn't until four o'clock in the afternoon that the rest of the task force finally receive word of a sighting. Danny plugs the address into the SatNav and he and Kono run full pelt to the Camaro whilst Chin takes the bike.

The only thing that makes the whole situation worse is that he and Steve are still yet to tell anyone other than Grace about the…development in their relationship. As far as their colleagues and friends are concerned, nothing has changed. So, whilst they figure that Danny running around crazy-eyed and angry is normal, _crying _is not. As he can feel them coming, Danny forces the tears back, pouring every last bit of his attention into the task at hand.

The drive seems to take much longer than it should, but as Danny pulls the car to a stop at the location they've been given, the clock on the dash suggests that only four minutes have passed since they started the engine.

Danny looks around frantically for a 'black van with Hawaiian plates.' Normally that wouldn't help to narrow it down, but the sun is out and half the island is down at the beach. Danny's eyes focus on the target vehicle, and watching it begin to move he opens fire on the wheels of the van without giving it a second thought. The first tyre gives a loud pop, and it's a split second before Chin rounds the corner from the other end of the road, swiftly deflating the front two as the engine whirs in protest.

The car continues in its attempted escape for another half a minute before Chin finally gets a good enough view that he is able to send a round in the direction of the driver, and he collapses at the wheel. An HPD officer shoots dead the two remaining criminals as they throw open the door and make a run for it, and Danny fills his lungs to shout as loud as he possibly can, "HOLD FIRE!" He waves his hands in the air in an effort to catch the attention of those around him. He's all too aware of how quickly and easily this intervention could result in the death of his partner.

The tone of his voice apparently indicating that he has the authority – whether he has, Danny has no idea – for such an order stops all officers in their tracks, and gun still raised, Danny slowly approaches the vehicle.

He pulls the door of the car open a little bit further, revealing a body in the corner of the space. Steve looks up at him, his mouth taped shut and hands bound together, relief flooding into his eyes on sight of his boyfriend. "Clear!" he shouts behind him.

Danny drops the gun and piles into the van, dragging Steve forwards and feeling extremely uncomfortable as he senses all eyes on his back. He winces with Steve as he rips the tape away from his mouth, and he can't help the relieved grin and shaky, humourless laugh that follows. He slowly takes in Steve's appearance. His face is pretty bruised, with gashes to his shoulders, arms, and the sides of his face, but he seems okay, and returns a smirk, eyes closing momentarily in exhaustion.

Danny grabs hold of his bound hands, and pulls him up to standing. The two share a quiet, motionless moment for a few seconds, and Danny squints into the sun and laughs as he shakes his head. "You fucking idiot. This public enough for you?" Danny casts his mind back to the pestering that he has had to endure over the last two months, and feeling more self-conscious than he ever has in his life, the cop pulls Steve's head down to him, brushing their lips together in a reserved kiss.

Steve frowns for a short moment before he realises that Danny is finally ready for all of this, and then with his hands still tied together, he lifts them both over Danny's head, resting them on his shorter partner's shoulders. He leans down to meet Danny for a second time, and the next kiss is far less reserved. They get lost in the moment as they mould against each other's skin, and it's not until they pull away that they realise again the crowd staring back at them. Backup has arrived late, and at least fifteen HPD officers now stand alongside the Five-0 task force, all looking curiously at the renowned partnership, which is seemingly so much more.

Meanwhile, Chin and Kono watch in amusement as the two tired officers lean against each other, foreheads together, still wrapped in each other's embrace.

Kono shakes her head. "They finally worked it out then. I was just wondering how long it would take for them to tell us."

Chin's expression matches his cousin's. "Strange how well they get along. I don't think I know of any two people so similar and different at the same time." He adds a laugh to the end of the sentence; he's happy for them.

They finally look away from their colleagues, and holster their guns. "You know, on paper Steve McGarrett is probably the most heterosexual man I know."

Chin nods in agreement. "Let's just hope it works out for them." He grimaces at the possible repercussions if it doesn't.

As Steve and Danny refuse to let go of each other, a HPD officer discreetly comes up behind them, snapping open the band that ties Steve's wrists. Now free, he moves to hold Danny's head in his hands, pressing one more soft kiss to his lips. "Love you Danno."

**A/N: So, that is the end of this instalment. To make it easy for those of you who want to add the new story to your alerts whilst you remember, I've just uploaded the first chapter of the sequel under the name **_**Judgement: A Two Way Street, Part 2**_**. So head on over…now. Thank you all for the reviews and alerts, pleeeaaassse let me know what you all thought of **_**Intimacy **_**now it's all posted, I want to hear from ALLLLLLL of you :0)**


	13. Chapter 13

Okay, first off, this isn't a new chapter. The fic is complete, and this is more of a notification than anything else.

I know I've spoken to a few of my readers about this already, and they'd shown interest, so I decided to add a post to the end of this fic. I have written a full length book. I totally understand if you're now scrabbling for the back button on your browser, so I'll be quick and to the point.

The book is called, 'Disparities,' self-published for Kindle under the pen name Elizabeth Cartwright. Here's a blurb:

_Essentially on their own after the death of their mother, Lucy and Riley Rossen are left with little choice but to travel all the way to Hawaii to live with a man they barely know. As it turns out, their mother's high school friend is a multi-billionaire with more compassion than they could possibly have expected, and it's there that they fall into a life with Skylar Anderton and his two closest friends. But Lucy fears she may jeopardize what they've found when she falls for Anderton's nineteen year old protégé, and so she quickly realizes that this new life may not be quite as easy as she'd hoped._

__Check the price in your region, but it's of a reasonable price everywhere as far as I know. I completely understand if you're interested but don't want to pay. In THAT case, follow me on social media. The book will be free at some point within the next couple of weeks, and I'll notify on Tumblr/Facebook/Twitter when I know when that day will be.

Obviously from my perspective I'd love for people to buy it, but I understand not everyone has the money, or even likes my writing that much.

Here's how to find me:

Facebook - search for the page Elizabeth Cartwright.

Tumblr -

Twitter - Cartwright_El

I think that's everything. If you made it to the end, thank you so much 3 I love you all :)


End file.
